Why I'm Voting for Heymann Yip @HeymannYip for Mayor of Burnaby Tomorrow, my vote for Mayor of Burnaby will be going to Heymann Yip. Here's why. I've had the opportunity to sit down over coffee with both Mayor Mike Hurley and Heymann Yip. My decision isn't based on political ideology or party loyalty. It's based on something much more practical: the kind of leadership I believe Burnaby needs. What particularly appeals to me about Heymann is his background as the owner and operator of a successful, medium-sized local business. Not a giant corporation, where decisions can be several layers removed from the people affected by them. Not a government bureaucracy, where following procedures can sometimes become more important than achieving results. A real business, with real employees, real customers, real financial responsibilities and real consequences when things don't work. Having spent my own career in business, I've learned something fundamental: Success isn't necessarily about what you personally do. It's about what you can get done through the people around you. And that brings me to three things I believe matter enormously in choosing a mayor. First, public safety. Safety should be the first responsibility of any government. Not safety for certain groups at the expense of others, but safety for everyone. Heymann has a long record of advocating for public safety in Burnaby, well before deciding to run for mayor. I appreciate his willingness to question decisions, challenge conventional thinking and insist that public safety be discussed openly, rather than treated as something best decided behind closed doors. Second, people. Especially the people who actually make our city function. Both of my business partners are former City of Burnaby employees, and I personally interact with dozens of city employees on a regular basis. One concern I've heard repeatedly over the years is that employees are expected to accomplish more with less, while residents experience increasingly lengthy waits and higher costs for municipal services. Think about that for a moment. The very people responsible for delivering those services can feel increasingly stretched, while the people paying for those services can feel they're receiving less value. That's not a criticism of city employees. Quite the opposite. It's a question of whether we're giving good people the leadership, resources, authority and support they need to do their jobs exceptionally well. A business like Heymann's could not have survived and grown over decades without understanding the importance of employees, customer relationships and operational efficiency. You cannot build lasting success by continually asking people to do more while giving them less. You build it by investing in your people, trusting them, empowering them and removing the obstacles that prevent them from doing their best work. I believe that same philosophy deserves a much bigger place at Burnaby City Hall. Third, financial responsibility. And this is where I think we're missing the point in far too much political debate. At one end of the political spectrum, there seems to be an attitude that taxpayers are an unlimited source of money. Budgets are exceeded, projects fall behind schedule, costs escalate, and somehow the answer is simply to spend more. At the other end, there are those who believe the solution to everything is to cut, cut and cut some more. Neither approach is good management. A successful business owner understands something that both extremes tend to overlook. Doing things properly costs money. Good employees cost money. Good equipment, facilities and services cost money. But wasting money costs even more. The objective isn't to spend the least amount possible. Nor is it to spend whatever happens to be available. The objective is to get the greatest possible value from every dollar invested, without compromising employees, public safety or the quality of services delivered. That's the difference between simply managing a budget and actually managing an organization. And it's a distinction that I believe Heymann understands from decades of practical experience. There's also something else I appreciate. Heymann signed the Metro Vancouver Accountability Charter, committing himself to greater financial oversight, transparency and accountability in regional government. And for years, without being paid to do so, he's spent countless hours scrutinizing Burnaby City Hall, researching municipal decisions and advocating for residents. He didn't need to become mayor to start caring about Burnaby. He's already demonstrated that commitment through his own time and effort. Ultimately, I don't believe Burnaby needs a mayor who simply promises to spend more, spend less or make government bigger or smaller. We need leadership that makes government work better. A city where residents feel safe. Where employees have the tools, support and respect to take pride in delivering exceptional service. Where taxpayers receive genuine value. And where accountability isn't an inconvenience, but a fundamental responsibility. Look after the people. Manage the money. Deliver the results. That's what good leadership looks like to me. And that's why, on Saturday, October 17, I'll be voting for Heymann Yip for Mayor of Burnaby. I hope you'll consider joining me.